Cross the Line with Me

My love,
let us not get too comfortable
in the camp we’ve pitched
in the outskirts of the city
of their prying eyes
making do with the half-inch
margins of bills paid on time,
dreams that can afford to
wait another month,
politely excusing
sideways through their
unreasonable prohibitions
because life can be so much
better than this,
all it asks of us
is a little courage

My love,
let us both refuse to be convinced
that this is good enough
talking about sharing a last name,
someday, and living under one roof
while we cower
under the pruning blade
because our love is supposed to be
bigger than this,
if we let its arms reach for the sun
and its leaves stay summer green
all it asks of us
is to let it conquer all
it can

Do not get full from my promises,
my love
my actions are sweeter than my words
keep your hunger
stay hungry
until they all come true
we started out impatient,
so fervently anxious of forever
don’t let these humdrum struggles and
pocket-sized rewards
grind down that passion
or sedate it with the chloroform
of cheap consolation prizes, while
they carry off our love, piece by piece
killing it without a fight
let’s keep fighting until
we can love each other
without needing their permission

The truth is
no one else will care if we don’t make it
and we can’t expect anyone
to give it for free
so you and I have to claim it for ourselves
and if they can’t understand it’s ours
let’s take it anyway
and just ask time to heal
what nothing else can
the lines aren’t clear-cut, so
get your hands dirty with me, my love
let’s cross the line

It won’t be easy. It could be
the most difficult thing we ever do
it could get so much worse
before it gets better
but we have what it takes
it’s true love
it’s worth it.